S8 Hypothalamic Pituitary Axis and Growth Hormone Flashcards
What processes do the hypothalamus and pituitary gland modulate?
- body growth
- milk secretion
- reproduction
- lactation
- adrenal gland function
- thyroid gland function
- water homeostasis
- puberty
What are the two parts of the pituitary gland?
Anterior and posterior gland
What is the embryological origin of the anterior pituitary gland?
Arises the evagination of the oral ectoderm (Rathke’s pouch) which is primitive gut tissue
What is the embryological origin of the posterior pituitary gland?
Originates from the neuroectoderm which is primitive brain tissue
What connects the hypothalamus to the pituitary gland?
The infundibulum (pituitary stalk)
What is released from the posterior pituitary?
- oxytocin
* antidiuretic hormone (ADH)
Where are oxytocin and ADH produced?
Produced by neurosecretory cells in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus
What type of signalling transports oxytocin and ADH to the posterior pituitary?
Neurocrine signalling
Transported down nerve cell axons
Where are hormones that act on the anterior pituitary synthesised in the hypothalamus stored before release in the hypophyseal portal system?
Stored in median eminence
What is the hypophyseal portal system?
Between the hypothalamus and pituitary gland - connection of two capillary beds
What action do hormones that are released from the hypothalamus to act on the anterior pituitary have?
Stimulate or inhibit target endocrine cells in anterior pituitary (via neurocrine signalling)
What do endocrine cells in the anterior pituitary do?
Secrete a variety of hormones into the blood stream to act on distant target cells (endocrine signalling)
Also have autocrine and paracrine functions
What does oxytocin do?
Involved in the milk let down reflex and uterus contractions during birth
What does ADH do?
Regulation of body water volume
What are the 6 tropic hormones of the hypothalamus?
- thyrotopin releasing hormone (TRH)
- prolactin release-inhibiting hormone (PIH) (dopamine)
- corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH)
- gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH)
- growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH)
- growth hormone-inhibiting hormone (GHIH) (somatostatin)
What does tropic mean?
Affect the release of other hormones in the target tissue
What 6 hormones are produced by the anterior pituitary?
- thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)
- adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
- luteinising hormone (LH)
- follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)
- prolactin (PRL)
- growth hormone (GH)
On which gland does TSH act? What does it cause the release of?
Thyroid gland
Thyroid hormone (T3 and T4) which affect metabolic rate
On which gland does ACTH act? What does it cause the release of?
Adrenal gland
Cortisol part of the stress response and involved in metabolic actions
On which gland does prolactin act? What it cause the effect of prolactin?
Mammary glands
Breast growth and milk secretion
On which tissues does growth hormone act? What does it cause the release of?
Liver and many tissues
IGFs released from liver for growth
On which gland does LH act? What does it cause the release of?
Ovaries in females, testes in males
Sex hormone secretion
On which gland does FSH act? What effect does it have?
Ovaries in females, testes in males
Gamete production